The Neighbor

Chapter 93

The room is wrapped in a soft, golden glow, the late afternoon sun spilling through the windows, painting warm stripes across the floor. It's calm here, in this little corner of the compound, away from the chaos outside. But the air is heavy, thick with a tension that Natalya can't shake.

She rocks slowly, her arms cradling Isabella's tiny body against her chest. The chair creaks with each gentle sway, a soothing rhythm meant to comfort them both. Isabella stirs, her little fingers curling into Natalya's blouse, knuckles pale as she holds tight, as if afraid to let go.

"Shh... It's alright, sweetheart," Natalya whispers, her lips brushing soft curls as she presses a kiss to Isabella's head. "Mommy and momma are gonna be okay. You're safe, my love. You're safe here."

But Isabella whines, her body shuddering with a broken, mournful sound. Her eyes flutter open, wide and shining, glowing with a deep, scarlet hue. It's faint at first, just a flicker, but then it intensifies, swirling within her irises, a mirror of Wanda's power. Her tiny face crumples, and she buries herself against Natalya's shoulder, a soft, choked sob shaking her frame.

Natalya's heart clenches, her fingers tightening protectively around Isabella. She knows that cry, it's more than hunger, more than exhaustion. It's sorrow, deep and aching, a sadness too heavy for a child so young.

"It's alright, lyubimaya (darling)," Natalya coos, her voice breaking as she rocks a little faster, a little more desperately. "Mommy's strong. Momma's strong too. They're gonna come home soon... They'll come back to you."

Isabella whimpers, her fingers trembling as they clutch at Natalya's blouse, the fabric wrinkling beneath her tiny fists. Her red eyes flicker, the glow dimming and brightening with each sob, each shattered cry that echoes through the room.

Eric watches from the window, his face shadowed as he stares out at the freezing rain, his back rigid. He doesn't look at them, but Natalya can see his shoulders tense with every whimper, every tear that Isabella sheds. His hand rests on the glass, fingers splayed as if searching for something to hold onto.

"Shh... Shh...," Natalya whispers, swaying in a steady rhythm, her cheek pressed to Isabella's head. "They love you so much... They'll be back, I promise..."

Isabella's cries soften, but her body still shakes, her face hidden against Natalya's neck. Her shoulders rise and fall with each breath, each broken whine that catches in her throat. Her power shimmers faintly, red mist curling around her small form, flickering and fading with her sobs.

Natalya can feel the hum of it, the faint crackle of energy that prickles at her skin, but she doesn't flinch. She holds Isabella closer, tighter, her own tears slipping free as she murmurs softly, over and over, words of comfort, words of love.

"It's okay, dorogoy... It's okay...."

But Isabella's cries don't stop. She can feel it, the pain, the fear, the desperation. It wraps around her tiny heart, echoing through her chest, a reflection of Wanda's agony, of your struggle. It pulls at her, tearing at her soul, an invisible thread that binds her to you both.

The lights flicker overhead, dimming and brightening in rhythm with her sobs, the shadows shifting across the walls. The room feels colder, darker, the air heavy with grief, with fear, with loss.

Eric turns, his face pale, his eyes dark as he watches his granddaughter cry, the glow of her red eyes casting shadows across her cheeks. He moves closer, his footsteps soft, careful, his fingers resting on Natalya's shoulder.

But there's nothing he can do. Nothing any of them can do.

Isabella's cries echo through the room, soft and broken, her tiny body trembling as she clings to Natalya, her fingers tangled in the fabric, her face hidden away.